Much has been made of the shortcomings of the Rockies’ starting rotation, but their offense hasn’t been too hot lately, either. Wednesday night marked the seventh time in the last 13 games the Rockies scored three runs or less. They are 1-6 in those seven games.

Rockies starter Rodrigo Lopez had his right arm rebuilt Wednesday. He had both ligament transplant surgery (aka Tommy John surgery) and flexor tendon repair to his right elbow. Lopez, of course, is out for the season.

Right-hander Greg Reynolds, the second overall selection in the 2006 June draft who was pitching for Double-A Tulsa, is scheduled to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder Friday at the Steadman Hawkins Clinic in Denver.

Super-utilityman Jamey Carroll makes his first career start in right field today. He replaces Brad Hawpe as Hawpe continues struggling against left-handed pitchers. Southpaw Paul Maholm is on the hill for the Pirates this afternoon.

By the numbers: Matt Holliday enters today’s game with a 12-game hitting streak, the longest active streak in the majors. He has four hitting streaks of 10 games or longer this season, more than any other player.

Jamey Carroll, the Rockies’ resident handyman, starts at third base tonight, while Garrett Atkins starts at first in place of Todd Helton. Monday night, Carroll played right field for the first time in his career, entering the game late and replacing Brad Hawpe.
“That was a little bit intimidating, only because I’d never played right before,” Carroll said. “But I’m used to my utility role. I’ve been doing it for five years now.”
So far this season, Carroll has started at second, short and third, played in right field, gone 3-for-8 as a pinch hitter and be frequently used as a pinch runner.

By the numbers: Matt Holliday leads the majors with 43 doubles, just two shy of matching his career high 45 set last season. Holliday is on pace for 55 doubles, which would be the most by any major leaguer since Garrett Anderson and Nomar Garciaparra both his 56 in 2002.

With key players dragging, and with a sluggish offense in need of a jumpstart, the Rockies trot out a new-look lineup for Game 2 of a four-game series against the Pirates. Rookie Ian Stewart starts in place of Garrett Atkins at third base. Atkins has played poorly in the field for the past week and manager Clint Hurdle wants him to rest his weary legs. Same goes for Kazuo Matsui, who’ll watch while Jamey Carroll starts at second tonight.

By the numbers: Rookie shortstop Troy Tulowitzki has already hit 16 go-ahead RBIs this season, including a solo homer in the seventh inning Monday night that gave the Rockies a short-lived 2-1 lead. Nine of his 16 home runs this season have either tied the game or given the Rockies the lead. Tulowitzki is closing in on the Rockies record for most go-ahead RBIs by a rookie. The record is held by Todd Helton who had 19 in 1998.

Even with speedster Willy Taveras on the disabled list, the Rockies continue to run. Kazuo Matsui’s stolen base in the third inning Monday was his 27th of the season. That is more than half the 50 total stolen bases the Rockies had as a team last season. More impressive, Matsui is 27-for-29 in steal attempts (.931) this year. In his major-league career, he is 57-for-64 (.891) – the best percentage of any active major-leaguer with at least 50 stolen-base attempts.Read more…

It’s a reflection of their youth and what’s at stake that the Rockies have seven of eight position players in the starting lineup who started in Saturday night’s marathon. Trainer Keith Dugger asked guys how they felt after the 5-4 win, and everybody wanted to get back in. Read more…

In his first time managing a contender, Clint Hurdle has been the target of more second-guessing. He said he doesn’t pay much attention to it. But the press does, so of course I asked a question that popped up in my email and blogs: Why start Clint Barmes in center field on Friday then option him out after the game? Read more…

Willy Taveras’ nameplate was gone, locker empty on Wednesday, his right quadriceps injury creating a void and a revamped lineup. With Taveras out, Kazuo Matsui moved to the leadoff spot, Troy Tulowitzki shifted to second and center fielder Ryan Spilborghs manned the seventh slot.Read more…

Looking for better health and better luck, center fielder Willy Taveras participated in Kazuo Matsui’s pregame running and stretching routine Tuesday. Taveras said his sore right quad was “right at 100 percent.” But it didn’t look like it as he labored around the bases in the third inning, unable to score on Matt Holliday’s double, and it was decided after the game that Taveras would be placed on the disabled list. Cory Sullivan replaced Taveras in the bottom of the fourth inning.Read more…

Josh Fogg is not an awe-inspiring pitcher, but he’s getting the job done when the Rockies need it most. With the Rockies’ starting rotation rocked by injuries, the right-hander pitched six innings of five-hit ball, allowing just two runs. Fogg has earned wins in four of his last five decisions, spanning six starts.Read more…

Tonight’s lineup looks like the one the Rockies might have posted if they had pulled the trigger on an offseason deal to send Todd Helton to the Red Sox and made room for hot prospect Ian Stewart. The 22-year-old third baseman makes his much-anticipated major league debut tonight. He’ll start and hit eighth. With Helton still out with nagging back spasms, Garrett Atkins moves over from third base to first.
Stewart, one of the best young talents, dealt with various injuries last season and that slowed his development. He was called up from Triple-A Colorado Springs today when the Rockies placed Jeff Baker on the disabled list. Baker was drilled in the head by Cubs starter Jason Marquis Friday night and suffered a bruised cheekbone and a concussion. He was released from the hospital today and the prognosis is good.
The latest Rockies casualty is center fielder Willy Taveras. His strained quadriceps flared up during Friday’s loss to the Cubs and he won’t play tonight or tomorrow. If he doesn’t show significant progress, he’ll likely go on the DL on Monday or Tuesday.

Clint Hurdle continues to ride the hot bat of Ryan Spilborghs, who starts in center field again today against the Brewers. Since being recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs on May 19, “Spilly” is batting .489 (23-for-47) with runners in scoring position. Moreover, the Rockies are 17-11 in games he’s started.

To replace injured catcher Edwin Bellorin, who strained a hamstring in his first major league at-bat Tuesday night, the Rockies called up Alvin Colina from Triple-A Colorado Springs. Colina’s defense has been reasonably solid, but he was hitting just .204 with five homers and 29 RBIs in 64 games with the Sky Sox.

The Rockies’ patience with Chris Iannetta finally wore out and the club sent the rookie catcher down to Triple-A Colorado Springs today. Iannetta, hitting just .179, was replaced by Edwin Bellorin (pronounced Bay-Yo-Reen). The 25-year-old from Bolivar, Venezuela spent the first nine years of his pro career with the Dodgers organization. He signed with the Rockies as a minor-league free agent during the offseason and proceeded to tear up Triple-A pitching. He was hitting .326 with nine homers and 45 RBIs for the Sky Sox.
“I just want to keep doing what I’m doing,” he said. “If I can give 5 or 10 percent more, that would be great.”
Bellorin is still waiting to make his major league debut.

The Rockies will attempt to secure a winning road trip tonight with a different lineup. Matt Holliday is getting a break because of a sore thumb, hurt while sliding head first on the bases. He wasn’t expected to swing a bat today to give the injury a rest, but could return tomorrow. Ryan Spilborghs replaces him. Read more…

The Rockies received a break today because of a twist. Braves shortstop Edgar Renteria, one of the National League’s better offensive players this season, was placed on the disabled list with a sprained right ankle. Yuniel Escobar replaces him in the lineup. Read more…

Rick VandenHurk changed the name on his jersey before this start, removing the space before the H. His stuff, however, remains the same. He throws a decent fastball and a big curveball. The Rockies have only tape to go off with the rookie, whose current claim to fame is giving up Barry Bonds’ 754th home run. Read more…

For those who logged on and found this blog earlier, thank you. For those who didn’t, a new lead for your blogging pleasure. The Rockies promoted pitching prospect Franklin Morales to Triple-A Colorado Springs today. He will make his Sky Sox debut on Friday.

Hurdle said that Morales is “on a roll.” Clearly, Morales is on the radar for a big-league call-up if he adjusts well to high-altitude training. With that, back to the regularly scheduled preview blog:

The Rockies will see a familiar face tonight when they step into the batter’s box. Byung-Hyun Kim, major league baseball’s smallest right-handed pitcher, will oppose them. Deemed unworthy of a rotation spot, Kim was shipped to Florida for reliever Jorge Julio in a trade that has worked out for both teams. Read more…

Stuck in an offensive rut over his past nine games – 6-for-32 – first baseman Todd Helton received a rare day off in the series opener. Helton hasn’t hit a home run since July 18, but manager Clint Hurdle said he will stick with the veteran in the cleanup spot.

“My eyes are sore from looking at my swing,” Helton said of his rest. Jeff Baker started in his place for the seventh time this season.Read more…

The dog days of summer can take a bite out of a team’s energy. Recognizing that, manager Clint Hurdle didn’t require his team to show up today until 4 p.m., about 1 ½ hours later than usual. It’s part of Hurdle’s plan to keep the Rockies fresh as they head into August and September.

By the numbers: Rockies pitchers have issued just 200 walks this season, the fourth lowest in the majors. The only staffs with fewer walks are Cleveland (269), Minnesota (277) and San Diego (283). The Rockies have never finished better than ninth in the National League in walks allowed.

The faint stirrings of a pennant race are surfacing at Coors Field. With the Dodgers in town tonight to begin a four-game series against the Rockies, the race could start to get really interesting.
Trouble is, the Dodgers have the Rockies’ number – even at 20th and Blake. L.A. leads the all-time series 127-91. At Coors, they lead the Rockies 53-45. Last year, the Rockies were a miserable 4-15 overall against L.A., and a discouraging 2-7 at home.
Bottom line: To make a significant move in the National League West, the Rockies need to take three of four from the Dodgers. Considering they face Brad Penny (12-1, 2.42 ERA) tonight and Chad Billingsley (7-0, 3.38) on Saturday, that’s a tall order.

A hot afternoon at Coors Field usually provides opportunity for a lot of runs. The Rockies could use them. The three runs they scored in a 5-3 loss to the Padres Tuesday night were their fewest runs at Coors since June 19. Colorado also didn’t hit a homer, breaking a streak of 15 consecutive games with at least one homer at Coors Field.

KO’d by a nasty stomach ailment, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki is out of the lineup for the second straight game. Tuesday, he didn’t even make it to the ballpark.
“I couldn’t stop throwing up,” he said.
“Tulo” is at the park today and available for spot duty, even though he’s still looking a little green and running a slight fever.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.